The "generic" keyword and unmanaged code

[epoxyparser]

Hi all,
I work as a glue coder and often have to interface existing mechanisms with other platforms. Creating bridge code between command-line functionality and desktop GUIs takes up a lot of that definition, along with creating abstraction layers for older-style C code. I've been working with .net (almost exclusively with C++.net, just a bit of C#) to create end-user interfaces with a relatively good deal of success (I'm used to ansi/STL and the like).

(I'll be getting to the point any moment now...)

When importing non-managed code I either use 'extern "C" {}' or '#pragma managed', though, to be perfectly honest, '#pragma managed' isn't something that I know I can nail immediately in more involved situations. I mention this because I think that this falls under what '#pragma managed' is supposed to achieve, even if indirectly.

I've been trying to use a standard C library which has variables in it that are named "generic". This isn't the first time this has happened, but previously this was in code that was encapsulated and I could just search-and-replace. This time it's in a very large, frequently updated, open-source library: FreeType.

I tried googling in two separate directions: First, anyone using FreeType in a managed project (it could happen, the library gives you access to font file info that .net doesn't yet make accessible), and, more generally, is there any way to name a variable "generic" within a /clr project. Neither vectors of mining turned up anything that I could use (which may just mean that I'm a bad googler, granted).

So I tried solving the problem using the shortest equation possible: I created a console CLR project, and tried to get it to accept a variable named "generic". Something like:

#pragma managed(push, off)
 
void testing(){
 
    int blah;
    int generic;
    int something;
}
 
#pragma managed(pop)

It seems ironic, to me at least, that the error message reads:
"error C3282: generic parameter lists can only appear on managed classes, structs, or functions"

But didn't I place that entire block of code within the non-managed pragma zone? Shouldn't it simply ignore the "generic" keyword?

If you try this you'll also receive a bunch of syntax errors, since of course this isn't a proper declaration of generics. It'll end with a "fatal error C1506: unrecoverable block scoping error".

I've tried other combinations of futile attempts, but most of them probably have nothing to do with the problem, and will just complicate matters in the "why did you think this would work?..." direction.

To clarify a couple of specifics: when trying to compile a test program that makes use of the library without /clr, VS2005 doesn't have any problem. When /clr is turned on, it finds three instances of the word "generic" in a header file:

freetype.h(914) : error C2059: syntax error : 'generic'
freetype.h(914) : error C2238: unexpected token(s) preceding ';'

Wrapping the include (#include <ft2build.h>) with #pragma managed doesn't do anything, but that was obvious by now.

If anyone has any insight into the subject, any pointers will help.

Thanks.